Product Description

Set in southern India in the late 1930s, this provocative tale traces the story of three people caught in an inexorable web of forbidden romance and dangerous secrets. After a British spice planter (Linus Roache) falls in love with his alluring servant (Nandita Das), an idealistic young man (Rahul Bose) finds himself torn between his ambitions and his family, his village and his past. Loyalties are tested and destinies decided as two worlds collide in this powerful and unforgettable drama

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21412 in DVD
• Brand: Lions Gate
• Released on: 2008-09-16
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 98 minutes

Amazon.com
Set in India’s colonial past, circa 1930, Before the Rains is a period drama exploring how imbalanced socio-economic landscapes negatively affect the personal lives of those seeking to function in corrupt systems. Director Santosh Sivan’s intricate love story begins as a passion play and quickly unravels into a crime scene which has the entire police force searching for an innocent victim. Set mostly on British spice planter Henry Moores’ (Linus Roache) plantation, the viewer learns from the outset of his affair with servant Sajani (Nandita Das). Sajani’s marriage to an despicable Indian villager spells danger, though it’s not until Henry’s wife, Laura (Jennifer Ehle) comes to visit that one discovers how the infidelity destroys the lives of both participants. Worst off is Henry’s other servant, T.K. Neelan (Rahul Bose), torn as witness between covering for his employer and helping his vulnerable female neighbor. Though it is easy to sympathize with Sajani, Before the Rains does well to show Moores as a character worthy enough of redemption, as he constantly checks his moral temperature and is nearly undone by guilt. Charles Humphries (John Standing), Moores’ boss heading up plans to build a road into the village for increased production, serves as the capitalist swine, coloring Moores less oblivious to the Indian position. Aside from being a tale about the high cost of colonial endeavors, Before the Rains is a human tale of how love can be confused by what is foreign or forbidden. --Trinie Dalton

Customer Reviews

In a Lovely, Evocative Time and Place
"Before the Rains" is a recently-released, Anglo-Indian film, set in South India during the waning days of the British colonial Raj; a lovely, evocative time and place that exerts a certain fascination, still; and has been looked at by a number of British films, and several --really slow-moving---films of the Merchant-Ivory film-making school. It's exquisite to look at, while actually boasting a plot that moves right along, and stars some gorgeous people giving us a passionate, moving story of a mature interracial love affair.

Linus Roache( "Batman Begins") stars as Henry Moores, an Englishman who's big in the spice trade: he's settled on an estate in India, and hopes to build a road that would enable him to greatly expand the productivity of his plantations. The beauteous Jennifer Ehle ("Pride and Prejudice") turns in a restrained performance as his wife Laura. Rahul Bose turns in a thoughtful performance as TK Neelan, a resident of the local village, caught between his respect for the past, and his hopes for a bright English-assisted future. The always reliable veteran John Standing is Charles Humphries, a grandee of the local expat English community. And the beautiful Nandita Das is stunning as Sajani,the servant who catches Moores' eye, with disastrous results for all concerned.

Add a star if you are a particular fan of the Raj; and, whatever you do, keep the tissues handy.

Beautiful but Tragic
Beautiful scenery, an illicit love affair, a road being built up a mountain with the goal of growing spices, other than just tea. There is a lot to this movie and yet it is a not a complicated plot. An English grower is in India without his wife and falls for the beautiful house girl (played by the absolutely gorgeous and wonderful Nandita Das). The grower's wife shows up with their son and the house girl's husband finds out she is having an affair. Without spoiling the movie, it is enough to say that everyone pays a terrible price in the end for this affair. Some of the Merchant Ivory productions are slow and boring. This one keeps you wondering how it is going to turn out. The end is tragic, but there couldn't have been any other ending. The movie is a little slow in places, but never boring. Highly recommended.

Awesome Movie
I've now seen this film a couple of times in the theater. It is, hands down, one of the most beautiful and moving films I've seen in a long time. Linus Roach (of Law & Order is great) and Jennifer Ehle is one of my favorite actresses. A really great, film classic!!